


To Believe Again

by AzenaKira



Series: Some Things Worth Fighting For [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angels, Dark Magic, Demons, Druids, Elves, F/M, Fallen Angels, Gen, Gods, M/M, Parabatai, Royalty, Slow Build, Soul Bond, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-31 10:01:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8573995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzenaKira/pseuds/AzenaKira
Summary: AU. Nyx/OFC, Crowe/OMC. Luche/OMC, Noctis/Lunafreya.The crystal protecting the Kingdom of Lucis is dying. It can only be saved by those 'born of the blood of the gods.'King Regis must put his trust into legends and myths that many have long since believed no longer exist.With a mysterious elven archer and a dark skinned scientist as his primary advisors, will they be able to save Insamnia from a terrible fate? Can these "Gods" save the crystal?*Includes some hints at the following series: The Mortal Instruments. The Shannara Series. The Copper Cat Series.Some of these aspects are included, but not the characters currently. If that changes, this note will be updated.(more summary coming later)





	1. Magic: A Gift From The Gods

**Author's Note:**

> First off I would like to thank everyone in advance for their interest in this story!  
> This is combining an original work universe with the Final Fantasy XV universe and I truly hope it grabs all of your attention. Please comment if you enjoy the story and are following it!
> 
> There will be more characters added as the story progresses.  
> I am writing this for NaNoWriMo, but given the plot I've picked overall, it will greatly exceed that time frame and word count.

Magic. Something that could not be explained through normal means. Being able to manipulate the elements around you, to serve your desires. Magic used to exist all across the planet. Militaries would use it. Sorcerers and Druids studied it day and night to understand it. Kings and Queens had many trusted advisors that were gifted in the art of magic, as were many of the Kings and Queens themselves. At least, that’s what the history books say.

For the most part, magic no longer exists. We rely on machines. But Lucis was able to combine the two. King Regis was in possession of that last known crystal on the planet - a power handed down from King to King.

However, there was a problem with magic, for you see, it  **always** comes with a price. That price can be seen in different ways, since magic is truly unstable. In most cases, it wears down the user, and slowly, the overall source.

Once upon a time, there were rumors of races outside of humans: Elves, Giants, Dragons, ‘Atlantians,’ and even Oracles. Today however, those “races” are nothing more than a simple thing you’d tell children to make them believe. They were just about as hard to believe in as magic itself. Especially in a huge city like Lucis.

*~*~*~*

King Regis could be heard down the hallway, his cane and metal boot echoing on the stone floor as he headed towards the crystal room. He approached the door and entered his code, a loud beep accompanied by a pressure lock releasing, followed by the door slowly sliding open.

He entered the room to see one of his ‘researchers’ inspecting the crystal and he cleared his throat, “I hope you have a good reason for bringing me down here at this hour, it’s almost midnight.”

“Ah, yes, your grace, I apologize.” The slightly darker skinned raven haired man bowed slightly, almost dropping his notebook.

“Well? What did you find.”

Amber eyes glanced from to the crystal and then back to the notebook before the man let out a long sigh, “You grace… The crystal is dying.”

King Regis’ eyes widened, “What? This crystal has existed for thousands of years and-”

“Precisely. Crystals are living creatures as well. They wear with time. The power that’s been fading - it’s not because you’re getting weaker - it’s because the  **crystal** itself is dying.”

King Regis looked at the crystal. For the first time in years, he  **really** looked at it. There were spots that were starting to crack, including a faint line somewhere towards the center of the rock. Then he eyed another section, slightly off center from the middle crack. He took a step closer and focused his eyes - unsure of what he was seeing, “Is that…?”

“Darkness, yes, your grace.” The man's eyes wavered back towards the crystal, “Not only is the crystal dying, but it also appears to be sick.”

King Regis paused a moment as if assessing what the man was saying before glancing back at him, “What did you say your name was, boy?”

The man glanced back at the King and bowed slightly without breaking eye contact, “Aleksander, your grace. Dextros Aleksander.”

“Dextros Aleksander…” The King muttered to himself as if he was either trying to recall the name from memory, or memorize it, “Can it be fixed?”

Dextros stood straight up before running a hand through his hair and setting his notebook on a nearby table, “There are rumors, to a group of people that might be able to fix them.”

“You cannot?”

Dextros shook his head, “Your grace, I analyze rocks. I do not have the power to… purify one - for the lack of a better explanation.”

“These people…” Regis glanced back towards the stone, memorizing where the cracks are, “I am not deaf to rumors and myths. You’re referring to Atlantians. They do not exist - we have spent generations looking into it.”

“I assure you, your grace.” Dextros took a step towards the King, causing Regis to fix his attention on the younger man, “They do exist,” Dextros couldn’t help but grin slightly, “Although, they would hate that term - Atlantians. They are basically gods - magic itself flows into their veins. They can fix crystals without much effort in most cases.”

Regis couldn’t help but let out a laugh, “Stories, child.”

“I’ve seen it.” Regis’ laugh stopped almost immediately, “ **They** are the reason I started to study rocks and magic. When I was younger, I was saved by one. Not only are they adept with magic, but their fighting style…” Dextros trailed off and cleared his throat, “I apologize. I was getting ahead of myself.”

“I am too old to fight this war… Nothing lasts forever, Dextros Aleksander.” Regis locked eyes with the boy, “If you are  **certain** these people are real, can you contact them?”

Dextros grinned slightly, “I’ll see what I can do, your grace.”

“The future of this Kingdom rests in your hands. The crystal might not last much longer.”

Dextros blinked, “... I never mentioned anything about its lifespan… How did you?”

Regis put a hand onto the man’s shoulder, causing Dextros to tense slightly, “Because that is what the former rulers have told me. The future of magic rests on if this myth is actually true.”

Dextros locked eyes with the King and he felt his jaw tighten slightly, “I assure you. These Gods are  **real** .”


	2. The Blood of the Gods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing another of the main characters that will follow throughout the story.  
> There are four main couples - so I apologize if this tends to jump around a bit... or a lot.

A raven haired girl sat chained to a chair in the middle of a dark room. She was blindfolded with a dark, blood stained cloth. Instead of actual cuffs, her wrists and ankles were wrapped to the chair with chains. There were more chains around her waist. And they all had a slight burn to them every few seconds - like a heartbeat.

“I’m going to ask you  **one** more time, girl.” A harsh male voice said from behind her as a rough hand grabbed her hair and yanked her head back.

She felt something cold touch her throat. ‘Most likely a blade,’ she thought, but remained silent.

The blade pressed slightly more against her flesh, enough to draw a little blood, “What do you know about magic, girl? Tell us about the crystals.”

The woman grinned slightly, “Go to hell.”

The man growled and ripped the blindfold off, causing her to wince. Her eyes fluttered slightly, getting used to the dimm lightly, and she glanced down at the chains. They were pulsing with a light blue, almost like a heartbeat - almost like they were veins.

Suddenly there was a man in front of her, grabbing her chin roughly and forcing her face up, her blue eyes locking with yellow cat like ones, “We know you know about the magic. We can see it flowing in your eyes, child. Make this easier on yourself, Princess.”

The girl grinned back, her blue eyes glowing slightly, even in the poor lighting of the dungeon, “I’ll never give you what you want.”

The dark figure roughly let go of her chin before taking a small knife and forcing it into her left palm. The girl let out a scream and glared at the man, but still refused to answer.

“Princess Azuri Maari. Your time is running thin.” The man whispered against her face before pulling the dagger out.

The girl winced, “That’s not my name. My name is Setasha. I told you that.”

The man glanced down at her hand, grabbing it roughly and straining her reach against the chains. He analyzed her blood longer than most people would. He lightly slid a finder through the red liquid and into the cut, earning another scream in response. He sighed before letting go of her hand and pulling out a rag to clean his own off.

“Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps you’re not the Princess we were looking for… But,” narrowed yellow eyes found their way to her face again as he grabbed her chin, tilting it up and forcing her to lock eyes with them, “You know something of magic, young human. Unfortunately for you, you’re not leaving here until you tell us what it is.”

Setasha glared back at the figure, “What makes you so sure I know  **anything** ?”

“For a human, you’re very good at lying. With your words anyway.” The man ran his dagger along her cheek softly, stopping right next to her left eye, “But it’s your eyes that give you away. Even if you were able to lie with your eyes, it doesn’t change the fact that magic flows in your blood.”

“Clearly it doesn’t,” Setasha spat out in response, “I’m bleeding red, just like a normal human. Even you can see that.”

The man withdrew again, walking towards a door and opening it, “True. Either you really are clueless…” He glanced back at her, “Or you’re one of the strongest mages on this planet. Unfortunately for you - I intend to find out which. Either way will most likely end in your death. I’ll give you some time to think over how you want to spend the rest of your days… Setasha.”

The man stepped through the door, closing and locking it behind him. As the door closed, the chains released their grip and fell to the ground as the pulsing and glow grew fainter. Setasha let out a breath she wasn’t even aware she was holding in as she relaxed a little, leaning back in the seat. She ripped off her left sleeve with a slight wince and proceeded to bandage her hand that was still bleeding.

After she bandaged her hand she clenched her fist around the wrapping and winced slightly before glancing towards the door. Who was the man with the cat eyes? How did he know about magic? How did he know who she was?

Setasha let out a shaky breath as she closed her eyes and pulled the bandages on her hand just a little tighter. One thing was for sure at least. The wards were working. That shadow man thought she was human. The one bad thing about the wards though? She had to give up her magic. ‘I guess he wasn’t completely wrong,’ Setasha thought to herself as she opened her eyes and glanced back at her hand - the makeshift bandage already beginning to soak with blood, “I might as well be human.”


	3. A New Archer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jak Magik is added as an advisor to the Glaive. A gifted elven archer.  
> Nyx is finally added to the cast.

The sound of the tracks under the wheels of the train was almost calming. If it weren’t for the noises from the other passengers on the gated car, he might’ve not even noticed. The door to the corridor coach remained open to his section, but the man sat alone.

A little girl walked by with her mom and stopped, staring at him a bit. Light amber eyes looked over towards the girl, “Mr? Why’s your hair so bright?”

Almost instantly the mother was at her side, “Dear, don’t bother the man-” the woman initially glanced over with a smile, but her eyes quickly widened and she began to tug at her daughter's arm, “Come, let’s go.”

“But mommy.” The man could hear down the hall a bit further.

A slightly more muffled from the woman, “Never speak to someone with that hair color again. Do you understand?”

The man scoffed slightly, and leaned against the window sil, resting his elbow upon it while reaching up and rubbing his chin. He glanced out the window, watching the trees move by in the distance, “Insomnia is going to be an interesting place it seems.”

*~*~*~*

Nyx sighed heavily as he exited the car he had just parked at the train station. He grabbed the keys from the starter and shut the door, twirling the key on his finger as he leaned his weight back against the vehicle. He ran his free hand through his hair as he pocketed the keys and pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Nyx glanced at his phone, “4am…” He groaned and couldn’t help but roll his eyes, “Who takes a train at 4am? Man… I’m a warrior, not a chauffeur.” He let out a loud sigh as he glanced towards the tracks as the train approached, “Who is this guy anyways? Must be pretty important if he’s traveling by train at night.”

Moments later the train pulled up to the station. Nyx glanced over as the doors opened and a man stepped out, carrying a duffle bag over his shoulder. The man wore black combat boots and blue jeans - to Nyx surprise - that happened to have a few rips near the knees. He wore a loose fitting white t-shirt, but even Nyx could tell he was toned underneath. There was some sort of necklace tucked into his shirt, and the oddest part about his outfit? He was wearing a black beanie covering most of his hair. Even with it seated in place, Nyx could see a few sections of fiery red hair sticking out - almost like magic. “Red” probably wasn’t even an accurate description - it seemed more like fire - like magic itself.

The man walked over and stopped in front of Nyx, “Nyx Ulric?”

Nyx tensed a little when the man spoke. Despite being dressed as a civilian, he carried himself and spoke with the tone of an experienced military man, “Yeah. I take it you’re the new archer.” Nyx said with a tense jaw and he opened the trunk.

“Jak. Jak Magik.” The redhead walked over and placed his bag in the trunk, causing the car to sink a little. Nyx blinked and glanced at him, not realizing it had been that heavy.

“Nice to meet you.” Nyx unlocked the doors and pulled opened the driver side door, placing a foot inside the vehicle, “I’ll get you back to the hotel. You’ll meet with the general in the morning.”

“Actually, I need you to take me to the palace if you can.” The man calmly got into the car on the front passenger side and closed the door.

Nyx climbed in as well, shutting his own door and starting the car, “Can I ask why?”

Jak pulled out a clearly classified marked folder, taping it against his leg briefly, “Apparently King Regis needs to see me.” The man almost seemed bored - which was weird for just about anyone fortunate enough to be granted an audience with the last living magic weidler on the planet, “I was told the time doesn’t matter, but he needs to see me as soon as physically possible.”

Nyx nodded slightly and started pulling the car out onto the main road, “To the palace then.” Nyx glanced over at the man, “You know, that beanie isn’t part of the uniform.”

Jak grinned back at him, “You don’t worry about it. I’ll discuss it with King Regis when we get there.”

*~*~*~*

Nyx pulled up in front of the palace and put the car in park, “Anything else?”

“Nah. It says come alone.” Jak opened the door and nonchalantly stepped out, “Can you take my gear to the hotel for the night?”

“I’ll drop it in the Glaive’s armory before I leave the grounds. You can go through it in the morning.” Nyx responded, leaning over slightly so he could still see the man.

Jak grinned slightly at him, “Thanks, Nyx Ulric.” He patted the roof of the car with his hand before shutting the door.

As Nyx drove off, Jak let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through his hair as he walked up the front steps. There weren’t very many guards at this hour, but surprisingly out of the ones he did encounter, none tried to stop him. He made his way to an informal meeting room and opened the door.

Jak blinked when he saw King Regis sitting on the far side of the table from the entrance, staring at him. He was surprised enough to not be meeting in the throne room, but to be meeting the King alone? No advisors? What was this play?

Jak bowed slightly, “Your grace.”

“Jak Magik, I presume? The new archer.” Although his frame was getting old, his voice alone carried a royal tone to it.

“That’s correct.”

“Please,” Regis motioned to the seat across the table.

Jak hesitantly walked forward and pulled the chair out slightly. He set the folder onto the table, and the slight drop alone seemed to echo with how quiet the palace was at this hour. Jak cleared his throat before sitting down, crossing his arms and resting them on top of the table.

“What do you think of Insomnia so far?” Regis leaned back in his seat a little, and surprisingly seemed unbothered by the lack of formality the archer possessed.

“No offense, your grace, but I’d like to get to the point. You asked me here to be an advisor to the Glaive. Why is that?”

Regis examined the man sitting in front of him. He noted the hair sticking out of the beanie, and when they locked eyes, he noticed that same ‘fire’ spinning within them, “You came recommended. As someone that’s been around magic before it would seem. How is that? Considering my kingdom is the only one with magic. My source was fairly vague as to your employment, other than being a gifted archer.”

“It didn’t used to be.” Jak removed his beanie and set it on the table, noting how Regis’ eyes widened slightly. His ears were pointed - definitely not human. The left ear had two piercings near the top - fashioned with golden hoops, “I’ve fought along many kingdoms that use magic,” Jak grinned slightly, “They just prefer to remain… hidden.”

Regis’ eyes narrowed as he seemed to examine the man's frame a little closer, “If the myths are true… Are you…?”

“No. I am not an ‘Atlantian’ as you humans call them. But I can help you find them. The ones that would help anyways. Pesky creatures they are. They don’t take kindly to orders or requests.” Jak leaned back in his seat and kept his arms folded across his chest.

“How much would it cost then?” The King mirrored Jak’s stance, leaning back into his own chair.

“It’s not a matter of money, your grace. It’s a matter of honor.” Jak glanced off to the side and released a soft sigh, “I’ll get in touch with them and see what I can do. In the meantime, I was hoping I could ask for a favor.” He glanced back, locking eyes with the King.

Regis raised an eyebrow, “A favor for a favor, I see? Very well.”

“There’s a place not far from here. Ruins in Gallahd. I was hoping you could deploy your Kingsglaive to assess them.”

“My Glaive are warriors, not treasure hunters.” The King's eyes narrowed in response.

“There’s rumors of these ruins that **might** aid your situation.” Jak grinned slightly as he seemed to catch the King’s attention, “There are rumors of creatures similar to demons, torturing those they believe to possess the natural power of magic.”

The King crossed his arms, staring into Jak’s eyes for a moment before glancing away briefly, “Very well. In the meantime, you will become a member of my Glaive and-”

“I’m sorry your grace, but I’d have to decline that.” Jak stood up slowly.

“... No one has ever declined an offer to be apart of the Glaive.” The King stood up as well.

“No **human** , so your record remains untouched.” Jak crossed his arms, “I’ll stay as an advisor to the Glaive. Until your crystal situation is sorted out.”

“... Very well.” The King crossed his arms, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Then I’d like to get some rest before I assess your Glaive in the morning, your grace.” Jak bowed slightly and grabbed his beanie, turning on his heels and starting to walk out.

“Jak Magik.”

Jak stopped and glanced back at the King as he was fitting his beanie back over his ears.

“How did you know about the crystal?” The King grabbed his cane and stepped in front of the table.

“A friend called me. And in response to your unasked question, I will say this: Sometimes all you need is a little faith. Do not put that faith in your magic, put it in your Glaive. Sometimes, all a person needs is a little magic to be able to change the world.”

As Jak walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, the King’s mouth parted slightly. He stared at the door for a moment before sighing and glancing off to the side, “Interesting… Is he a friend of yours, Dextros?”

Dextros had stepped in the back door to the room, hiding behind a corner briefly as the King’s conversation with the archer has concluded. He stepped out into the room as the King turned to face him, “Not particularly, your grace… He is not the one I expected to come, but I can assure you, he is trustworthy.”

The King nodded, “Very well. See that he gets access to the crystal chamber in his off hours. And keep this quiet.”

“Very well, your grace.” Dextros bowed as he heard the King slowly walk out of the room. He glanced up at the closed door, “This is certainly more complicated than I expected,” he muttered under his breath before righting himself and exiting through the back door to the room.


	4. Assessing The Glaive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jak, the new advisor to Regis' Kingsglaive assesses the current members.

“Alright Glaive, listen up.” General Drautos walked into the room as all the Glaive were lined up at attention, “Today’s an assessment day.” He stopped in the middle of the room, hands behind his back and turned to face them, “Your skills will be analyzed, so no uniforms today. Go get changed into your t-shirts.”

Crowe blinked, “Sir?”

Drautos glanced at her, “We have a new advisor. He doesn’t know the uniforms yet, so he’d rather get to know your faces rather than staring at everyone wearing the same uniform. Meet outside in ten. Understood?”

“Yes sir!” resounded from all the Glaive before they filed out to get changed out of their professional uniforms.

“A girl?” Jak walked up silently behind Drautos, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“An extremely gifted mage that one. Her name is Crowe.” Drautos glanced over at the redhead, “You must me Jak Magik? The new advisor?”

“Correct.” Jak glanced him up and down, “You must be General Drautos.”

“Commander of the Kingsglaive.” Drautos examined Jak briefly. Noting that he wore a black long sleeved shirt and a beanie over his hair, “You know it’s summer, right?”

Jak shrugged, “It’s become a habit. Maybe I’ll break it while I’m here.”

“You don’t **look** like a fighter. What kind of advisor are you again?” Drautos took a step towards the slender man. Even though Jak was taller than him, he still felt his jaw clench slightly.

“I can assure you, I can hold my own in combat.” He trailed off at the end of his sentence as he noticed some of the Glaive assembling in the field already, “Shall we?”

*~*~*~*

Jak and Drautos walked over to the Glaive members and glanced around. Drautos spoke first, “Pelna spar with Libertus. No magic for starters.”

The other Glaive members stepped off to the side as the two readied themselves. Pelna lunged first, swiftly moving to punch Libertus in the stomach, but it was quickly blocked. Pelna was too slow to notice Libertus’ elbow coming around and striking him right in the stomach, causing him to falter and step back. Libertus used the opening to step forward and punch him in the stomach, a little lower than where his elbow had hit, causing Pelna to groan and fall onto his back.

“You made that too easy friend!” Libertus laughed softly.

Pelna’s hands were over his chest, where the final blow had hit and he coughed a bit, “You know I’m not that great in a fist fight without magic.”

Libertus offered the raven haired man a hand and pulled him to his feet.

Jak glanced at Drautos with a questioning look on his face and Drautos returned his gaze, “Pelna is more of an assassin. Face to face he generally loses so he uses his magic to get the appropriate view. He’s also our main intelligence gatherer. Libertus, on the other hand, isn’t extremely great at magic, but he’ll beat just about anyone in a fist fight.”

“I see.” Jak crossed his arms, “Why pair them together then?”

Drautos glanced back at the pair, “Again. This time with magic.”

The pair nodded at each other and reset. The moment Drautos motioned them to proceed, Pelna flung his dagger and warped behind Libertus, striking the back of his left knee. Libertus cried out and managed to spin, landing on his back and blocking the advancing Pelna with a shield spell.

Jak blinked as the pair continued, “Interesting. They both have fairly good spell timing, but Libertus seems to be more defensive.”

Drautos grinned slightly, “You noticed already?”

“Come on Libertus!” Nyx called from the sideline with his arms crossed, obviously annoyed his friend was losing.

Jak glanced at him, then back at Drautos, “What about Nyx Ulric?”

“Have you met ‘the hero’ already?”

Jak glanced back towards the pair fighting. He blinked, noticing that Libertus had started taking the offensive after some encouragement, “He picked me up from the train station yesterday… Hero?”

“He doesn’t take kindly to rules. It’s probably going to get him killed one of these days.” Drautos muttered under his breath.

Jak glanced at Drautos for a moment before glancing back towards Nyx, not noticing that Libertus ended up winning the fight.

Drautos cleared his throat, “Luche, you’re next. Spar against the hero. Magic on the first round.”

Nyx and Luche locked eyed briefly before Luche let out a small laugh before walking to the center of the field. Nyx followed, a small grin on his face as well. They both stayed at their sections of the field, hands on their daggers. Jak lifted one hand up to rub his chin, fixing his eyes onto Nyx.

When Drautos gave them the go, Luche was the first to teleport forward, stopping right in front of Nyx and swinging his blade at his face. Nyx teleported behind him at the last possible second as Luche managed to cut a few strands of his hair. Nyx swung towards Luche’s back to be blocked by a backhanded blade. Luche turned and lunged at him and Nyx teleported behind him again, kicking the back of his leg. Luche stumbled slightly but brought up a barrier before Nyx was able to swing again.

Jak’s eyes were fixed on Nyx throughout the fight. He noticed how Luche avoided using the magic if possible, and he winced slightly even when he did so. But Nyx on the other hand? You could see sections of his skin ashing slightly from the usage, and his veins glowing a faint red as the magic worked its way through his system. But Nyx didn’t seem phased by it. He didn’t even look bothered in the slightest. He used magic far more than his fellow Glaives and seemingly had no reverse effects. His body seemed to heal itself just as quickly as the magic tried to destroy it, “Interesting….”

“What is?” Drautos glanced over at Jak, who blinked in response and glanced back at him, not having realized he had said that outloud.

Jak glanced back at the two fighting, that seemed evenly matched and rubbed his chin lightly again, “... Stop.”

Nyx blinked, as he was mid swing and tried to stop his momentum. Luche moved at the last second as to avoid getting hit by the blade and all the Glaive glanced at Jak.

Jak took a step down from the small platformed area and towards the pair, “Nyx Ulric, was it?”

Despite Jak’s stance he seemed entirely formal and something about it made Nyx’s jaw clench, “Yes sir.”

Jak glanced at Luche for a moment and motioned him off the field. As Luche was walking away, Jak glanced back at Nyx, “You’re quite gifted at magic. Where are you from?”

“Gallahd, sir.”

Jak’s eyes narrowed slightly and he lowered his hands for a moment before sliding his fingertips into his pockets and stepping to where Luche was before, “There’s a fair share of rumors about Gallahd, you know.”

Nyx glanced at Drautos briefly and then back at Jak, “Sorry, I thought this was a training lesson, not a history lesson.”

Luche winced from his spot next to Pelna, “He’s going to regret that.” As Pelna nodded, Luche glanced back towards Jak and crossed his arms, examining the man. Luche and Jak were about the same height and they carried themselves similar. He seemed pretty laid back at first, but he was nothing but serious right now. Luche found his eyes fixed on Jak’s shirt and waistline - he was slender, but from the way that shirt hung on his body, he might even have a six pack. Luche’s eyes narrowed and he tensed slightly.

Libertus glanced at Luche, “What is it?” Luche waved him off briefly and leaned against the wall behind them, intent on watching what was about to happen closely.

Jak grinned slightly at Nyx, “You’ve got a smart mouth then too. That’ll be entertaining.” Jak glanced at Drautos who gave him a slight nod in return and Jak returned his focus to Nyx, “Alright ‘hero,’ fight **me**.”

Nyx’s eyes widened, “Excuse me?” He lost his resolve slightly.

“Use magic if you wish.” Jak bowed slightly as he spread his hands out to the sides and not making eye contact.

Nyx felt his jaw clench shut and he glanced at Drautos, questioning the situation. Drautos motioned for him to proceed and Nyx hesitantly placed his hand on his dagger before glancing back at the archer. Nyx tensed a little more when Jak responded by locking eyes - his red ones extremely intimidating. Jak didn’t even take a fighting stance, instead, he slid his fingers back into the front pockets of his jeans, “Anytime, hero.”

Tredd walked over and mirrored Luche’s stance, “Any interest in taking bets, Captain?”

Luche grinned, “I’d bet on that advisor.”

Nyx glanced over at Drautos who nodded for him to proceed. Nyx glanced back as Jak as he gripped his knife, slowly pulling it out of its holding place. He let out a shaky breath before tossing it to the left behind Jak and teleporting after it the moment it got far enough behind the advisor. As Nyx was about to swing the blade at him, still midair, Jak turned and grabbed Nyx’s wrist, surprising him. Nyx’s eyes widened and it was as if the next few moments were in slow motion.

Luche, who was stroking his chin, felt his breath catch in his throat and his eyes widen slightly. Jak didn’t even look at Nyx as he managed to grab his wrist. Jak pulled the hero towards him with one arm as the other punched him hard in the chest as he let go on Nyx’s arm. Nyx winced as he was falling backwards and threw the dagger again to teleport away, but Jak kicked him right in the chest mid teleport. Luche’s eyes widened a little more as Nyx fell to the ground coughing with one hand on his chest where the kick was.

“Get up, hero. You’re not done yet.” The advisor said as he nonchalantly walked over to the dagger and picked it up, twirling it a bit before throwing it at Nyx. Nyx winced slightly as he saw it land near his side, blade sinking slightly into the sand of the sparring court.

Jak just grinned at Nyx, “All out of magic, hero?”

Nyx narrowed his eyes and grabbed hold of the blade in the sand, flinging sand as well as the blade towards the advisor’s face. He teleported after it the second it got close, meaning to tackle the man as he teleported - but th Nyx’s surprise, the advisor was quick enough to sidestep it. As a result, Nyx landed face first in the sand with a wince.

The advisor let out a heavy sigh and pocketed his hands, “You’re wasting my time.” The man spoke as he took a couple steps backwards before turning his back completely.

Nyx gripped the sand and glanced after him. Luche’s eyes widened in response, “Oh shit.”

Nyx got up and ran for the man’s back, meaning to sucker punch in, however, almost as if he knew it was coming, Jak turned sideways for a moment and side kicked Nyx square in the chest. Nyx felt the air leave his lungs as he flew back a good four feet at least before landing hard on his back with a pained muffled scream.

“Nyx!” Crowe broke formation and ran towards him, starting to heal his injuries. Libertus was right behind her, doing what he could to help without magic.

Jak lowered his leg and dusted off his shoulders, “You’re no ‘hero,’ Nyx Ulric. Maybe you should give that name up." As he was about to walk away he glanced back at Luche and they locked eyes. Luche tensed slightly and clenched his jaw, but his eyes didn’t waver.

Jak blinked a couple times before laughing softly and continuing up the steps.

“Did you find what you were looking for, Jak Magik?” Drautos stood in front of him, looking slightly angrier than normal.

Jak grinned, “I did. The girl. Crowe was it?” Jak glanced over his shoulder at the young mage still healing her friend, “Send **her** on the mission.”


	5. Secret Mission 23: Briefing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crowe is briefed on a mission to rescue the Princess Lunafreya.

Crowe let out a deep sigh as she walked down the street of Insomnia towards where she would be meeting the guys for dinner. She wore her civilian clothes - blue jeans, a black tank top, and a brown leather jacket. As she rounded the corner from her apartment she glanced over at a car that pulled up and blinked a couple times, readjusting her jacket, “Captain?”

Drautos stopped the car and glanced at her through the open windows, “Crowe, where are you off to?”

She blinked, still a little surprised, “Dinner with some of the other men, sir.”

“You can drop the formality.” He leaned over and opened the passenger side door for her, “Get in, Altius. The King has summoned you.”

She paused, “Me?”

“You don’t want to keep him waiting, do you?” Drautos tapped his fingers on the wheel impatiently.

“N-no sir!” She quickly climbed in and shut the door as Drautos started driving towards the palace, “... Will my clothes be alright, sir?”

“You’ll be fine. It’s a top secret mission anyways. So the less Glaive clothes the others see around the palace when we get there, the better.

*~*~*~*

Jak walked into the palace through a side passage and dusted off his black leather jacket, “Why are these tunnels so damn dusty.”

“Because they’re not supposed to be used unless it’s an emergency, Magik.”

Jak blinked and glanced over to see Dextros with his arms crossed, tapping his foot, “Oh, hey Aleksander…”

Dextros sighed, “Honestly, I didn’t tell you about the passages to get me in trouble. They’re incase the King is in danger.”

Jak crossed his arms, “Not to sound heartless, but I’m more concerned about the crystal than the old man.”

Dextros’ eye twitched and he glared at the taller man, “Of course you are.”

Suddenly the main doors opened and they both glanced over to see Crowe and Drautos walking in.

“And that’s my cue to get out of here. See ya, Magik.” Dextros gave him a light punch to the arm before walking into the same passage Jak had come out of.

Jak’s eye twitched, “Sure. It’s okay when **he** uses it.”

“Magik!”

Jak glanced up as Drautos was waving him over. Jak sighed and walked over, standing next to Crowe as they waited for the King to be available.

Crowe glanced at him for a moment before glancing down.

Jak leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, “If you want to ask me something, girl, then ask me.”

Crowe’s eye twitched, “Permission to speak freely, sir?” She glanced at Drautos who gave her a nod, “Nyx will be in recovery for at least a week. You went overboard for a training exercise.”

“Training? No. It was an assessment.” Jak glanced at her with slightly narrowed eyes, “One which he failed by the way.”

Crowe was about to retaliate as they heard a set of doors open.

Cor appeared through a doorway in his Crownsguard uniform and glanced at them, “... The King is waiting for you in the meeting room.”

Drautos blinked, “We’re not meeting in the throne room?”

Cor glanced at the man, “Apologies General, I did not see you there. The King has only asked for those two.” He motioned towards Jak and Crowe, who looked at each other for a moment, “General Drautos, please follow me. I have to discuss the next field assignment with you.”

Drautos clenched his fists slightly, “Very well, Cor.” He started to walk off with the man as he glanced back at the other two, “Behave yourselves.”

Jak waved him off as he started leading Crowe towards the meeting room.

Crowe glanced at the man, eyeing a bit of red hair sticking out of his hat, “Sir, hats are-”

“Regis okayed it. Don’t worry about it.”

Crowe’s eyes widened slightly, “You’re on a first name basis with the King?”

Jak grinned slightly, “We have an understanding.” Jak chuckled softly as he opened the door to the meeting room, bowing slightly and motioning for Crowe to go in first.

They both walked in and sat in the seats directly across the table from King Regis. Crowe sat more formally, with her legs together and her hands in her lap. Jak crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair.

Regis glanced at Jak before folding his arms on the table, “Jak, if you would please.”

Jak stared at him for a moment before sighing and removing his hat, throwing it on the table, revealing his fire red hair and pointed ears.

Crowe instantly stood up, moving away from him a bit, “You? You’re-?”

“Crowe Atlas,” The King spoke in a soft tone without looking at her, “Please sit down.”

“Y-yes, your highness.” Crowe hesitated, sitting down again and glancing at Jak briefly, but obviously a bit more tense, “I’m told you have a mission for me.”

“Yes.” The King stood up and motioned for them to remain sitting as he paced around the room, “I need you to go to Tenebrae.”

“Tenebrae, your majesty? Isn’t that controlled by the Empire?”

Regis stopped and glanced at her, “Yes, it is. That’s why Jak would like **you** for this mission.”

Crowe blinked a couple times, “... I don’t understand.”

“You’re quite gifted with magic. More so than Nyx Ulric.” Jak stated blankly glancing at her, “It’s a rescue mission. Your healing abilities might be required.”

Crowe blinked at Jak a couple times, surprised that there was an actual compliment that came out of his mouth, “... Who are we extracting?”

“Princess Lunafreya Nox Flueret.” The King spoke as he returned to pacing, “As the Oracle she has information I require. The ability to speak to the Gods.”

Crowe’s eyes widened, “The Tenebrae Princess? You want me to kidnap her from the Empire.”

“No.” Regis stopped and glanced at Crowe, “I want you to rescue her. I’ve agreed to a treaty in which she will marry Prince Noctis. I need her here before I finalize anything. To make sure she’s safe. Jak will accompany you.”

“Jak will **what**?” In unison the red head and the girl responded before glancing at each other.

Jak stood up, “With all due respect, I can’t help with your… **situation** if I’m in Tenebrae, King Regis.”

Regis sighed softly, “Mr. Aleksander will have to make due for now. I need you with the Glaive. This is a discrete mission in which your skills might be useful.”

Jak sighed, “I understand.”

Crowe stood up, “Your majesty, I-”

“That is all, Crowe Altius, you may go.” The King motioned to her, “You and Jak will meet in Hammerhead tomorrow morning. Meet with Cid at the garage, he knows you’re coming.”

Jak and Crowe bowed slightly and went to walk out.

“Jak, please stay.”

Jak paused and returned to his seat as Crowe shut the door behind her. He waited until she was gone to speak, “Is this about Gallahd?”

“It is.” Regis returned to his seat and crossed his arms, “We’re sending out a field mission team.”

Jak grinned, “I see. Is that why your ‘immortal soldier’ pulled General Drautos away?"

“You are correct in that. I did not want him near conservation of the Princess otherwise I would’ve asked him here.”

Jak nodded, “What’s your plan then?”

“We were planning on sending a small scouting team. Three to four Glaive. Any suggestions?”

“Hm… Luche, Tredd, and Pelna seem capable. Use them.”

“Very well. And what about a team leader?”

Jak grinned slightly, leaning against the table a bit with his arms, “How about Nyx Ulric.”


	6. The New Mechanic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crowe and Jak go to Hammerhead to pick up their new prototype set of wheels for their mission.

Crowe let out a sigh as she slung her bag over her shoulder and walked towards the bus stop. She didn’t even get to say goodbye to the guys before leaving. It was unfortunately a long drive to Hammerhead. Well, not  **that** long of a drive. More of a traffic jam at the inspection gate. The only reason they were taking a bus was because they get through the gate faster.

As she neared the bus stop her eye twitched, seeing Jak sitting on the bench. His bag was at his feet and he was sprawled, leaning back against the bench with his arms across the back and his hat pulled over his eyes.

Crowe dropped her bag next to his, “Seriously?”

Jak lifted his right hand to raise his hat a bit, just enough to reveal one of his eyes, “I don’t do mornings.”

Crowe huffed and crossed her arms, “How’d someone like you end up as the Kingsglaive advisor?”

“It’s a long boring story,” He lowered his hat back over his eye, “I don’t really feel like sharing. How long until the bus gets here?”

Crowe glanced at her watch, “Should be here any minute.”

As if on cue, the bus rounded the corner. The two got up, gathering their things and boarded the bus when it opened it’s doors. Crowe presented her official Kingsglaive ID, and Jak present his passport of some kind. The driver looked confused for a moment before Jak pointed out something on the bottom for him. The driver nodded hesitantly and let them both aboard the bus.

Crowe sat next to a window and Jak sat next to her. She glanced at the man, “What was that about?”

Jak nonchalantly tucked the passport away, “These things are rather old. I don’t think they see them that often in the city anymore.”

“I see.” Crowe said as she leaned back in her seat a little while glancing out the window, “You gonna tell me that story now?”

Jak chuckled softly and crossed his arms, “Not a chance.”

*~*~*~*

“Pawpaw, the bus is almost here!”

“You don’t have to yell, Cindy, I’m right behind you.” Cid replied with a sarcastic tone as he walked out of the garage and sat in one of the lawn chairs under the umbrella.

“Sorry Pawpaw, I’m just excited. It’s not every day we get to help out some big city folk.” Cindy replied as she walked over to her grandfather and crossed her arms, “Is the new guy done with those fancy engines yet?”

“Dunno. Why don’t you go ask him?”

Cindy walked into the back of the garage and glanced around. The room was dimly lit by just a couple of lights here and there - their new mechanic had insisted the special engines not be damaged by light. Cindy spotted a figure sitting in a chair with his head on the table, probably asleep from working all night. She sighed and walked over to him.

“Hey Leon.” She hit his shoulder, causing him to jump slightly, “Those engines done yet?”

Leon sat up slightly and stretched. He had a chiseled chin and appeared to be in decent shape as if he was a hunter as well. His face had grease all over it, but his blue eyes sparkled slightly in the dim lighting. His scruffy raven hair was messed up, probably from working all night, and the length of it rivaled Noctis’ - just less spiky. He wiped some grease off his hands and onto his dirty white shirt and glanced at Cindy with a slight grin, “Hey Cind. Morning already?”

Cindy sighed and crossed her arms, “Those engines done or not? Those Kingsglaive people are gonna be here any minute to pick up the car.”

Leon rolled his eyes and stood up, poking her nose, “They’ll be done. I’ve done all I can with them besides actually turning the things on.”

Cindy’s eyes widened, “You mean you haven’t even tested them yet?”

“Can’t.” The man walked over to the car and leaned on the hood against his hands, “These engines are special. It’ll only work long enough for their mission most likely. The charge tends to fail after a certain amount of time.”

Cindy sighed, “I can’t believe the King wants to use this thing on a mission this important.”

“Reggie knows what he’s doing girl, don’t question it.” Cid responded with from the doorway, standing with the two Glaive members. Leon glanced up and locked eyes with Jak, both of their eyes narrowing slightly, but they didn’t say a word to each other. Leon glanced over at Crowe who locked eyes with him next. Crowe’s eyes widened slightly as his blue eyes shined in the dim lighting of the garage.

“You hear me, kid?”

Leon blinked and glanced at Cid, “Sorry, what?”

Cindy chuckled softly, “Come on, fire them up. I wanna see how this fancy big city tech works!”

Leon motioned for them all to walk over, “Alright.” He glanced at Jak and Crowe, “You two pay attention, if something goes wrong with this, you’ll have to fix it in the field.”

Crowe blinked, “Fix it? Like, go pick up some parts at the store or-”

“Recharge it.” Leon said, reaching into the engine compartment which looked nearly empty, “This engine runs on magic.”

Jak grabbed one of the lanterns and shined it inside the compartment, eyes widening slightly, “Woah”

The engine didn’t actually look like an engine at all. Sure there were some obvious engine parts and a couple belts, but what surprised Jak the most was that there were shards of crystals inside the engine.

Crowe glanced at Leon, “So how does it work?”

Leon grinned at her slightly, causing Crowe’s face to flush a little, “These guys are already charged, so you’re good to go. Snap your fingers with a bit of fire magic.”

Crowe blinked, raising an eyebrow and hesitating for a moment before lifting her arm and snapping her fingers. As the spark from the fire magic faded, the car started with a soft purr. Her eyes widened, “How?”

Leon closed the hood and patted it with his hand, “A spark of fire magic starts the engine. To turn it off, use a snap of ice magic. The charge is good for at least three days, any longer than that and you’ll have to recharge the crystals using some lightning magic. So don’t use too much magic on your mission, save it for the car, got it?”

Crowe nodded slightly, “Are they going to be rolling these out for the Glaive?”

“Unfortunately no,” Cid spoke up, “Reggie wanted this one as a prototype for the Prince. You lot get to test it out for him.”

Jak blinked at the older man, “Reggie? King Regis?”

Cid laughed softly, “Ah yes, my apologies. Reggie and I go waaaaay back.”

Leon leaned against a nearby wall and crossed his arms, “Anyways, you guys are good to go. Magic is the only weakness of this car. It doesn’t run on gas so you’ll be fine. Just don’t get stranded halfway back to Insomnia.” Leon motioned to Crowe, “Give me your phone.”

Crowe hesitated for a moment before handing her phone over.

Leon clicked a few buttons, “If anything goes wrong, give me a call and I’ll talk you through it.”

Crowe took her phone back, locking eyes with the younger man, “I think we’ll be fine. I’ve got more than a little faith in magic.”

Leon grinned slightly, his eyes sparkling a bit, “That makes one of us.”

Cid glanced at the Glaive, “You two be careful out there. On your way back, stop here so we can check the car out one last time, then you can take it into Insomnia with you and give it to Reggie.”

Jak nodded, “Got it.” He glanced at Crowe, “Ready?”

Crowe grinned back at him, “Can I drive?”


	7. Field Mission 45: Briefing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Regis talks to the Glaive about the mission in Gallahd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the insanely long delay in updating this fic! Life has sadly gotten in the way, but rest assured, most of this fic is actually already written, I'm just getting around to editing and completing some chapters.  
> If you've been with me in writing this from the beginning I appreciate your continued support. I'm sorry this chapter ended up being so short.

“Luche. Tredd. Pelna. Nyx. Follow me.” Cor lead the Glaive through a series of hidden passages in the castle.

Luche glanced at Nyx then at Cor as he followed, “Marshall, with all due respect, why are you addressing us instead of the General?”

Cor opened a door and led them down another corridor, “Drautos is busy with some other tasks today.” He opened a door to a small briefing room, “Please take a seat.”

Nyx sighed as he took one of the ironically four available seats, Luche sitting next to him. They exchanged a look of concern before turning their attention to the screen in front of them as the other two sat down as well. Nyx shifted slightly, uncomfortable without Libertus or Crowe in the room.

Suddenly King Regis walked in and the Glaive began to stand as he waved them down, “Please stay seated. I’d like to get through this as quickly as possible.” Cor sat at a desk in the corner of the room operating a the display screen.

Nyx tensed as an overview satellite image of Gallahd showed on the screen, well… what remained of it. The town was mostly in ruins now and it made his stomach churn.

King Regis cleared his throat, “It’s not often that I get to address you Glaive directly, but I’m afraid I’ll have to keep this short.”

“Field Mission 45. The Gallahd Ruins. This is what Gallahd currently looks like.” Cor cycled through some images, “Your target is the structure here.” The display zoomed in on an old ruin.

Regis glanced around, “Do any of you recognize it?”

“An old mansion, sir.” Luche spoke, “It was abandoned long before the war though.”

“I don’t recall ever seeing anyone live there.” Tredd added.

Regis nodded slightly, “We’ve received some intel, although I admit, it’s…” He cleared his throat again, “There’s supposed to be something there that can help Lucis win this war. We don’t know exactly who or what it is, but we’re sending you four to find it.”

Nyx’s eyes widened briefly, “... Are you saying… You don’t actually know what we’re looking for?”

“Whatever it is, you’ll know it when you see it.” Cor added as he glanced at the Hero, “It’s… different.”

Luche glanced at the screen, Cor, then back to Regis, “Your majesty… You’re putting a lot of hope on the fact that there  **might** be something here.”

Regis nodded, “Yes that’s true… But I’ll admit, we’re running out of options. My magic will not last forever.”

The Glaive in the room tensed, imagining trying to fight the robots of the empire without magic.

Cor stood up and crossed his arms, “None of you are required to go on this mission, but the new advisor specifically chose you. If any of you wish not to participate now’s your chance.” Cor waited a moment and after no one spoke up he grinned slightly, “Very well. Nyx Ulric.”

Nyx stood, “Yes, Marshall?”

“The advisor has chosen  **you** to lead this team.”

Luche’s jaw dropped slightly and the other two glanced at Nyx. Nyx blinked a couple times, “... Me, sir?”

“Do you think he made the wrong choice?” Regis glanced at Nyx.

“N-No sir, I-... I’ll do my best.”

“Very well. Nyx Ulric. You and your Glaive leave as soon as you’re ready.” Regis started to walk out of the room.

Luche stood suddenly, “Your majesty!”

“Yes?” He turned.

“What if the target is a person?”

Regis’ eyes narrowed slightly, “... Then bring them back alive.”

**Author's Note:**

> Final Fantasy XV characters are copyright to Square Enix.
> 
> The following original characters are copyright to me:  
> Dextros Aleksander. Setasha Maari. Jak Magik. Leon.  
> (this list will be updated as I introduce more characters)


End file.
